Yarn-changing mechanism for circular-knitting machines.



No. 694,515. Patented'Mar. 4, i902.

. W. P. YOUNG, ,YARN CHANGINGMECHANISM EUR CIRCULAR KNITTING- MACHINES.

(Application mea June 24; A1901.)- (No Model.) 2'Shets- Sh eet I.

l, Il; H" l um vuur-u l wnNEssEs: A. 1 -INVENTOR ATTORNEY un. 694,5l5. Patented Mar. 4,1902.

W. P.l YOUNG. YARN OHANGING MECHANISM FUR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

' .(pplimion med Juno 24, 1901.,n

(lo Model.) 2 Sheets-Shadi 2.

Y UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM- PEYOUNG, OF IVOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN KNITTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. Y

YARN-CHANGING MECHANlSlVl FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part o f lLetters Patent No. 694,515, dated March 4, 1902.

. Application iiled June 24,1901.

To @ZZ whom it may concern;

Beitknown that I, WILLIAM P. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Woonsocket, in the county of Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yarn-Changing Mechanisms for Knitting- Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to a yarn-changing mechanism in which b'oth .yarns alternately knit into the fabric are constantly connected to the fabric and constantly passed through the yarn-carriers, either being fed to the needles while the other floats inactively within the circular series 'of needles.

The object of this invention is to provide a yarnchanging mechanism for a high-speed knitting-machine which will operate with certainty and precision, which is simple in construction, composed of few parts, and not liable to get out of order.

Another object of the invention is to provide a yarn-changing device which Will effect a change of yarns during the narrowing and widening operations for producing different colors in the same heel or toe.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents a plan view of a knitting-head of a circular-knitting machine provided with this yarn-changer. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of this yarn-changer on a larger scale, one of the yarn-carriers thereof being in horizontal position for feedingone of the yarns to the needles and the other'yarn-carrier beingin elevated and extended position for withholding the yarn from the needles and permitting. it to float behind the needles across the interior of the stocking or tubular fabric being knit. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of the yarn-changer, the parts being in the same position as :in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a perspective view of the supporting-bracket of this yarn-changer. Fig. 5 represents a perspective View of one of the yarn-carriers and its fulcrum-rod detached. Fig. 6 represents a perspective View of the cam-slide for shifting the yarn-carriers and its f ulcrum-rod detached. Fig. 7 represents an elevation of Serial No. 65,781. (No model.)

the inner face of a fragment of the circular needle-guard and the ends of the yarn-car riers, both the latter beingin depressed active position and the yarn-guides of said carriers being in the same relative positions with relation to the pyramid of active needles,where by either carrier may be used ,in alternation during the formation of a heel or toe. The same reference-numbers are used in all the figures in the designation of the saine parts.

This yarn-changer attachment may be applied. to any circular-knitting Inaehine to which it is applicable in which yarns of different oolors are used in alternation. It is herein shown as applied to what is known to the trade as the. New Victor Knitting Machine,the genera'l structu re of which is shown in United States Patent No. 537,802 and it is a substitute for improvement upon the yarnchanger shown in United States Patent No. 580,925. y

This invention is illustrated in connection with a knitting-head similar in its general structure to that shown in thevpatent above referred to, comprising a needle-cylinder, as 200, containing a circular series of independent vertically-reciprocating latch-needles 230, whereof one half have long butts or studs and the other half short studs, a rotary camcylinder, as 240, surrounding the needle-cylinder and provided with cams for engaging said studs to actuate said needles, and other known parts which need not be here described. A standard 500 is detachably Secured by a clamp-screw 515 or otherwise to a bracket attached to the cam-cylinder, which may correspond to bracket marked 303 in the patents referred to, and a horizontal arm 510 is hinged at its front end to said standard `and projects toward the circular series of needles, as shown in saidpatents. This arm is held in horizontal or adjusted position by means of a spring (not shown) or otherwise, Vas by the tension of the bolt 501, which serves as the pintle.

The illustrated embodiment of this invention comprises a base-plate l0, secured to the hinged arm 510. This base-plate is provided with `iianges 1l and l2 on its under side, formparts are preferably integral with the baseits top is inclined downward toward the vclamp-screw the base-plate may be adjusted vof this arin is preferably split and provided ing arecessinto which said hinged arm tightly I fits, and atits frontend it hasaslot 13, through which a clamping-screw 14 passes into a taphole in the hinged arm. By means of this toward or from the needles. This base-plate is provided at its rear end with two arc-shaped arms 15 and 16, to which the needle latchguard 520 is secured in the ordinary manner. Three vertical webs 20, 21, and 22 are disposed on the upper side of the base-plate 10 radially of the needle-cylinder and form guideways for the yarn-carriers, hereinafter described. These webs are provided with a set of registering holes 23 in their upper rear portions and with a set of registering slots 24 in their lower front portions. A transverse recess 25 is formed in front of the vertical webs. An arm extends laterally from the right side of the base-plate 10 and supports a vertical shaft, hereinafter described. The outer end with a bolt forming a clamp 31. All these plate. Two extensible yarn-carriers and are movable in the guideways formed by the webs ofthe base-plate. The yarn-carrier 40 is provided with a transverse cam-slot 41 in its body, with a longitudinal fulcruln-slot 42 and a stud 43 at its outer end, with a threadguide 44 at its inner or rear end, and with an inclined latch-guard 45 at its lower edge near itsinnerend. Theyarn-carrierOisprovided with corresponding cam and'fulcrum slots 51 and 52, stud 53, thread-guide 54, and latchguard 55. Each of the cam-slots 41 and 51 is composed of an upper portion a, which from thread-guide end of the carrier, and a lower portion b, which from the lower end ot' the portion a is inclined downward and away from said thread-guide end. A rod passes through the holes 23 and through the canislots 41 and 51 of the yarn-carriers and serves as a guide for said carriers.

The yarn carrier-actuating device comprises a cam-slide and a fulcrum-rod 8O, connected thereto parallel therewith. The cam-slide is disposed edgewise in the recess 25 in front of the webs and is provided with an angular slot 71,consisting of a central horizontal portion c and inclined portions d and e at opposite ends of the central portion. The cam-slide 70 is provided with inwardlyextending ears 74 and 75, in which the fulcrum-rod is supported. This rod passes through the slots 42 and 52 at the front of the yarn-carriers, and the studs 43 and 53 of said carriers enter the cani-slot 71 of the calnslide. The reciprocation of the cam-slide through the action of its cam -slot on saidstuds causes the yarn-carriers to oscillate on the rod 8O as a fulcrum, and the guide-rod 60, engaging the angular slots 41 and 51 of said carriers, causes them to move'inward and outward on said fulcrum-rod in their oscillations. The horizontal portion c of the cam-slot 71 is suiiiciently long to admit the studs of both yarn-carriers at the same time, and when the studs are in this portion of the slot the carriers are both horizontally disposed and in operative position. In this position the tops of the portions a of the guideslots 41 and 51 of the yarn-carriers rest on the guide-rod 60. The movement of 'the camslide 70 toward the left causes the inclined portions e of cam-slot 71 of the cam-slide to engage the stud 53 of the carrier 50,whereby the outer end thereof is depressed and the inner or thread-guide end elevated. In the first part of this upward swing of the yarncarrier the upper portion a of its cam-slot on guide-rod 60 causes a slight retraction of said carrier from the cylinder to permit it to escape contact with the needles. In the latter part of said swing the yarn-carrier is extended or thrust toward the needle-cylinder by the action of the lower portion b of its camslot 51 on guide-rod 60, whereby the yarnguide of said carrier is thrust over the needles, carrying the yarn behind them and permitting it to float without action in the circuit of the needles.

The rod 8O isprefer-ably provided with an enlargement or -head 81 at one end and With a screw-thread 82 at the other. The head 81 enters a larger hole in the ear 75, and the screw-threaded'end passes through a smaller hole in the ear 74. The head S1 is provided with a transverse hole, and the screw-threaded end is provided with clamping-nuts 83, 84, and 85 on opposite sides of the ear 74. These nuts hold the rod in place. The rod 60 is preferably adapted to turn loosely in its bearings to reduce friction ot' the yarn-carriers in contact therewith. The clamping-nuts also enable the cam-slide to be adj usted to proper position for actuating the yarn -carriers in case the cam-slot thereof becomes worn.

The slide-plate 86 is clamped to base-plate 10 by means of a screw 87. This plate by a slot is adjustable on said base-plate and bears against the slide-plate 70 and serves to hold it in position.

A vertical crank-shaft 90 is disposed in the outer end of the arm 30'and is held in the clamp 31 thereof with sufficient tension to prevent accidental turning. This vertical crank-shaft is provided at its upper end with a crank and at its lower end with a starwheel 110. The shaft is provided with a shoulder 91, which rests against the under side of the arm 30. A link 120 is connected at one end with said crank and at other end with the cam-slide, which actuates the yarncarriers. The connection of the link with the crank is preferably made by means of a shouldered crank-pin 101, the small lower end of which is screw-threaded and engages a tap in said crank. The connection of the link with the actuating-slide is preferably made by pin 121,which engages a hole in head IIO slide 1060,which is provided with atongue 1061 at one'end and with. a dependent postflOZ at other end.` The post and tongue slide in recessed and tubular brackets 1040 and'1050. The post 1062 extends below the b'ed-plateof ,the knitting-head and is engaged by a lever 1030, whereby the slide is raised and lowered This leveris connected with the moving parts of the machinein anyA suitable manneras, for instance, in a manner shown in my application No. (50,446.A 'I his crescent-'shaped slide has two inwardly-projectinglateral studs 1065 and 106,6,.the stud 1065 being preferably. disposed at about the cent'e'rvof the crescent and the stud 1066 'nearvthe Vrear end thereof. In this position of theY studs the change of yarn is effect-ed at the back end of thel stocking, which is the preferable point. slide is preferably provided with a series of holes 1067, in which these studs are` adjusted into different positions relatively to each other-.fand to the needle-cylinder, being placed farther apart whenv coarse needles are' used to insure theengagement therewith ofthe yarn thrown in on the shifting operation.- Both the yarn-carriers -40 and 50 are provided with a corresponding thread-guide', thread-guide 44 of the yarncarrier d40 extending from the upper part ofsaid guide at an incline towardthelower corner thereof'adja cent totheguide 50, and the thread-guide 54 of the yarn-carrier extends from-the top of said guide at an opposite incline to the lower corner oftheinner'end of thecarrieradjacent to'the carrier 40. By this arrangement of the thread-guides yarn is supplied to the needles by either yarn-carrier in either direction in which the came-cylinder may rotate, the end of each carrier being adjacent to a radial line rvrcorrespondent,construction of the thread' 55 passing from the center of the needlecylinder between said guides, In this position the yarn cannot escape 'the pyramid of active needles, aspwas sometimes the case with the substitute yarn-guidelof one of the prior pat: ents hereinbeforereferred to. Owing to this guides, the yarn Vmay bechangedduring the knitting of the heel or toe when the cam-cylinder has a reciprocatory motion.

In the use of this'yarn-changer two yarns of diterent characters or colors are threadedv from any suitably arranged yarn guides through the yarn-guides 44 and 54 of the yarncarriers 40 and50. In the ordinary opera-v tion of the machine one of the yarn-carriers is in elevated inoperative position-as, forin-` A The means *herein* shown comprise an .arc-shaped or crescent` The crescent o to effecta change of the yarn-supplyto the needles, the crescent slide V1060 is; raised so' thatA the star-wheel comes incontact with the stud 1065 thereof, y whereby al partial stroke ,is imparted to the Vcamu-slide Landthe stud of the inoperative 'yarn-carrier ismade'to en- Y.

kgage'the horizontal partfof the cam-slot 71 andthrow the yarn-carrier into operative position. The starwheel nextengages the st iid plete its stroke, andtheheelof vthe. other yarn-carrier is engaged bythe other inclined portion o fsaidslot and said yarn`carrier raised to inoperative position;A `Thiszraising of the crescent` slide to eifect a changeof the yarn may be made V to occur Ain changing from ,leg torhelel knitting, from heel to` foot knitf ting, or from foot to toe knitting, o r be made to occur for the purpose of producing striped work at one or more intervals during either kthe leg, heel, foot, or toe knitting.

I claim as my' invention- 5 l, In ayarn-changing mechanism for a knit ting-machine the combination of a plurality off yarn-carriers each provided wit-h a cam and a fulcrum slot, a support forsaid carriers provided with means for engaging said cam-slots,

and an' actuating'device for said carriers comprising a cam-slide provided with a slot en- -1066,"whe'reby the'camlslide is made/to comgaging saidfl ca rriers and a fulcr'uni-rod eXf tending through said fulcrunslotsL 2. In a yarn-changing mechanism for aknitting-machine, the combination'of a'plurality of yarn-carriers each provided with a. camf slot andafulcrum-slot, av fixed guide engaging said cam-slots, and means for tilting said e carriers on their fulcrums; ysaidcamslotsfbeing shaped to cause first the retraction ofea'ch yarn-carrier to escape the needles, then the projection thereof to carry the yarn behind the needles.

3. 'In a yarn-changing mechanism fora knit- Y ting-machine, thecombination of a plurality of yarn-carriers each provided with a cam, a

IIO

fulc'rum-slot and a stud, a support therefor Y.

providedwith a/rod extending through said cam-slots, and Aan actuating device for said Vcarriers comprising a cam-slide provided with a cam-slot engaging said studs and a fulcrumrod extending through said fulcrum-slot.

4.l In a -yarn -changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, a combination of a yarncarrier support, comprising a base-plate providedvvith vertical webs forming yarn-carrier gnideways, yarn-carriers vmounted in4 s aid guideways and each provided lwith aflcrumrality of yarn-carriers, a support therefor, a

cam-slide'for shiftings'aid carriers into inoperative andoperative positions, means for ac slot and a cam-slot, a rod extending through tuating said cam-slide, and an adjustable connection between said slide and said means.

G. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of two movable yarn-carriers disposed side by side and provided at their inner ends with yarnguides inclined in opposite directions and converging to their delivery-openin gs adjacent to each other at the lower corners of said yarnguides.

7. A yarn-carrier for a knitting-machine provided with a yarn-guide at one end, a stud for the engagement of an actuating device, a slot to receive a fulcrum and cam-slot to receive a guide.

8. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of ayarncarrier support comprising a base-plate provided with vertical webs forming ya 1in-carrier guideways, yarn-carriers mounted in said guideways and each provided with a fulcrumslot and a cam-slot, means engaging said fulcrum-slots and serving as fulcrums for said carriers and means engaging said cam-slots and serving as guides for said carriers, and means for tilting said carriers on their fulcrums.

9. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of yarn-carriers each provided with a cam-slot and a tulcrum-slot, means engaging said fulcrnm-slots and serving as fulcrums for said carriers, means engaging said cam-slots and serving as guides for said carriers, and means for tilting said carriers on their fulcrums.

10. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of yarn-carriers each provided with a cam-slot and a fulcrum-slot, means engaging said fulcrum-slots and serving as fulcrums for said carriers, means engaging said cam-slots and serving as guides for said carriers, and means for tilting said carriers on their fulcrnms, said camslots being shaped to cause first the retraction of each yarn-carrier to escape the needle and then the projection thereof, to carry the yarn behind the needles.

11. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of movable yarn-carriers, means for tilting said carriers, and means for controlling the direction of movement of said carriers during the tilting thereof, the latter means being adapted to cause first the retraction of each yarn-carrier to escape the needles and then the projection thereof to carry the yarn behind the needles.

12. In a yarn-changing mechanism -for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of movable yarn-carriers, and means for shifting each yarn-carrier from operative to inoperative position andthe reverse, said means being adapted to cause first the retraction of each yarn-carrier to escape the needles and then the projection thereof over the tops of the needles to carry the yarn behind them.

13. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of movable yarn-carriers provided with dependent latch-guards for the needles, and means for shifting each yarn-carrier from operative to inoperative position and the reverse, said means being adapted to cause first the retraction of each yarn-carrier to escape the needles and then the projection thereof over the tops of the needles to carry the yarn behind them.

14. In a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of pivoted yarn-carriers each having a shifting fulcrum and each provided with a cam-slot, means engaging said cam-slots and serving as guides for said carriers, and means for tilting said carriers respectively on their fulcrums.

l5. In'a yarn-changing mechanism for a knitting-machine, the combination of a plurality of pivoted yarn-carriers each provided with a cam-slot and a fulcrum-slot, means engaging said cam-slots and serving as guides for said carriers, and an actuating device for said carriers comprising a slide provided with a cam-slot engaging said carriers and means engaging said fulcrum-slots, the cam-slot of the slide com prisinginclined portions for tilting said carriers respectively and an intermediate straight portion which. permits both carriers to remain simultaneously in operative position.

WILLIAM P. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

F. C. SoMEs, EUGENE E. BASQUIN. 

